Headrest



Aug. 27, 1963 J. S. TOTH HEADREST Filed Dec. 4, 1961 IN VENTOR JoH/v 5.75771 ATTORNEY 3,101,973 HEADREST John S. Toth, 309 Mariellen Ave., Mishawaka, Ind. Filed Dec. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 156,656 6 Claims. (Cl. 297-391) This invention relates to a novel device primarily adapted for use in motor vehicles to provide a comfortable support for the head of a passenger to enable the passenger to relax or sleep comfortably while riding in a sitting position.

A primary object of the invention is to prov1de a headrest which is supported by a part thereof engaging between the user and a back rest, for supporting another part above the back rest and in a position to engage and comfortably support the head of the user.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a headrest by means of which the head is supported and held against lateral swinging movement. 7

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a headrest including a head supporting element which is adjustably mounted for supporting the head in different reclining positions.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the headrest as it will appear in use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary substantially central longitudinal sectional view through an upper part of the headrest;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the headrest;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view through the head-, rest, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6' of FIGURE 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the headrest in its entirety is designated'generally 8 and includes an elongated rigid support 9 which is preferably in the form of a frame constructed of a lightweight metal tubing such as aluminum, and which rigid frame or support 9 includes a lower portion, designated generally 10, and an upper portion, designated generally 11.

The lower portion 10 is of a length greater than that of the upper portion 11 and includes corresponding laterally spaced side portions 12 which ex-tcnd in converging relation to oneanother in a direction away from the upper portion 11 and which have inturned terminals at their lower ends forming a bottom portion 13 of the frame 9 and which additionally includes a connector element '14, as seen in FIGURE 6, which engages in said inturned ends and which is secured thereto by screw fas-tenings 15. The other upper ends of the side portions 12 terminate in inturned aligned parts 16 which terminate in spaced apart relation to one another, as seen in FIGURE 3.

The upper portion 11 includes a pair of legs 17 which constitute upturned extensions of the inner ends of the parts 16 and which are disposed substantially parallel to one another and at substantially right angles to the plane of the lower portion 10. The upper portion 11 includes a pair of transversely spaced elements 18 constituting right angular extensions of the legs 17 and which extend away from the lower portion 10 and are disposed substantially parallel to one another. The upper portion 11 also includes a cross member 19 constituting the up- United States Patent 0 per end of the frame 9 and the intermediate portion of the tubing of which said frame is formed and which extends between and merges integrally with the outer ends of the elements 18. The parts 18 and 19 of the upper portion 11 are disposed coplanar and in a plane offset from the plane of the lower portion 10, as illustrated in FIGURES l and 2.

The lower frame portion 10 is preferably provided with a covering 20, such as a piece of canvas or other flexible fabric, having turned back side edge-portions and end portions which are stitched, as indicated at 21, to form sleeve portions 22 which engage the parts 12, 13 and 16 to maintain the covering 20 stretched across the lower frame portion 10.

An elongated piece of a flexible and preferably elastic fabric 23 is provided across each end thereof with a row of transversely spaced female snap fastener halves 24 and with a plurality, preferably three transverse rows of male snap fastener halves 25 located adjacent to but spaied from each row of the snap fastener halves 24, in spaced apart relation to one another. The snap fastener halves 25 project from the opposite side of the fabric 23 to the side thereof from which the snap fastener halves 24 project. The end portions of the fabric 23 engage around the elements 18 and the snap fastener halves 24 of each end are connected to the snap fastener halves 25 of a selected row located adjacent thereto for thus attaching the fabric 23 to the upper portion 11. The

fabric 23 after being thus attached to the upper portion 11 is of a length substantially greater than the spacing between the elements 18 to provide a sling, designated generally 26, which normally projects from the plane of the upper portion 11 toward the plane of the lower portion 10, as seen in FIGURES 1 to 3.

Each of the elements 18 is provided on its underside with two openings 27, as best seen in FIGURE 5, which are spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the fabric piece 23 to receive the offset terminals 28 of a resilient strand 29 which extends transversely across a part of an end portion of the sling 26. The strands 29 form retaining members which prevent the sling from sliding lengthwise of the elements 18. The intermediate portions of the strands 29 can be sprung outwardly relative to the end portions thereof for passing the terminals 28 inwardly or outwardly through the openings 27 for engaging the retaining members with or disengaging said retaining members from the elements 18, after the end portions of the sling have been engaged around said elements 18. a

The lower portion 10 is adapted to be positioned against the forward side of a back rest 30- of a seat 31, such as a vehicle seat, and to be held thus positioned by the back 32 of the user resting thereagainst. The headrest 8 is thus supported with the upper portion 11 disposed above the back rest 30 and forwardly offset relative thereto and to the lower portion ll), and at a convenient elevation relative to the seat 31 so that the back of the head 33 of the user will engage in and be supported by the sling 26. The spacing between the elementslll is only slightly greater than the width of the headso that the head will be held against lateral swinging movement while supported by the sling 26. If the fabric 23 possesses an elastic characteristic it will conform to the contour of the head, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, and will yieldably support the head relative to the frame 9. The sling 26 can be adjusted as to size by engaging the fastener elements 24 with difierent rows of the fastener elements 25 for supporting the head at different angles or in different reclining positions relative to the back.

It will be readily apparent that a passenger of a motor vehicle utilizing the headrest 8 can readily recline or sleep while riding with his or her head comfortably supported and held against any appreciable movement. It will also be noted that the headrest 8 is not fastened to any part of the seat or back rest so that it can be quickly applied or removed and utilized with the back rest of any seat, including those not associated with motor vehicles.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

' I claim as my invention:

1. A headrest comprising an elongated rigid support including a lower portion adapted to be disposed against the forward side of a back rest of a seat and an upper portion forwardly oifset relative to said lower portion and adapted to be disposed above the back rest, said upper portion including transversely spaced elements extending longitudinally of the frame, an elongated piece of flexible material, and means connecting the ends of said material piece to said transversely spaced elements to support the piece loosely therebetween to provide a sling extending from the plane of said upper portion toward the plane of said lower portion and adapted to be engaged by the back of the head of the user.

2. A headrest as in claim 1, said support comprising a frame including a cross member defining the upper part of said upper portion and extending between and connecting the upper ends of said elements, said frame including legs forming angular extensions of the other ends of said elements and connecting the upper portion to the lower portion.

3. A headrest as in claim 2, said lower portion tapering in width away from said upper portion and including parts extending laterally away from one another from said legs, side portions extending from said parts in converging relation to one another, and a bottom portion extending between and connecting the converging ends of said side portions.

4. A headrest as in claim 3, and a flexible covering secured to said parts, side portions and bottom portion and spanning said lower portion of the frame.

5. A headrest as in claim 1, and retaining members detachably connected to said elements and through which the end portions of the sling extend for retaining the sling against sliding movement lengthwise of said upper portion.

6. A headrest as in claim 1, said upper portion being of a width less than the width of the adjacent end of the lower portion, said elements constituting sides of the upper portion and being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the head whereby the head is supported by the sling and held against lateral swinging movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 485,374 Durkee Nov. 1, 1892 2,581,802 Lyons Jan. 8 ,1952 2,679,282 Anderegg May 25, 1954 2,756,808 Eichorst July 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,113,707 France Apr. 3, 1956 

1. A HEADREST COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RIGID SUPPORT INCLUDING A LOWER PORTION ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED AGAINST THE FORWARD SIDE OF A BACK REST OF A SEAT AND UP UPPER PORTION FORWARDLY OFFSET RELATIVE TO SAID LOWER PORTION AND ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED ABOVE THE BACK REST, AND UPPER PORTION INCLUDING TRANSVERSELY SPACE ELEMENTS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE FRAME, AN ELONGATED PIECE OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, AND MEANS CONNECTING THE ENDS OF SAID MATERIAL PIECE TO SAID TRANSVERSELY SPACED ELEMENTS TO SUPPORT THE PIECE LOOSELY THEREBETWEEN TO PROVIDE A SLING EXTENDING FROM THE PLANE OF SAID UPPER PORTION TOWARD THE PLANE OF SAID LOWER PORTION AND ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE BACK OF THE HEAD OF THE USER. 